Tess Flintoff’s clutch, late hitting cut the tension as Melbourne Renegades toppled Melbourne Stars in the WBBL’s derby on Sunday at Junction Oval.Chasing 142 for victory, Flintoff (17 in nine balls) held her nerve with a six, four and four off Annabel Sutherland’s penultimate over to clinch the win with four wickets and seven balls to spare.Stars had given themselves every chance with some tight bowling after Courtney Webb (37) and Sophie Molineux (32) had put the defending champions on track.Needing a-run-a-ball in the final four overs, both Deandra Dottin and Georgia Wareham holed out to heap the pressure on the lower order. But, needing 12 off ten balls, Flintoff was up to the task against her former club.First she split two leg-side fielders with a swipe that hit the rope before hammering a back-foot drive over cover to level the scores. Victory came courtesy of a sweetly-timed drive over mid-off to put Renegades (3-1) into second behind the unbeaten Hobart Hurricanes (3-0).Earlier, Meg Lanning (3) recorded a rare failure, leaving Sutherland (29) and Marizanne Kapp (22) to pilot Stars’ innings before Kim Garth’s (29 off 19) late hitting. Dottin, with 3 for 20 in three overs, took the last three wickets and was later named the Player of the Match.
Devine three-for takes Scorchers past Strikers in rain-hit game
Sophie Devine’s intervention took Adelaide Strikers apart before the heavens opened up to hand Perth Scorchers a dominant WBBL win in Melbourne on Sunday.
The veteran New Zealand allrounder took 3 for 12, including a peach to dismiss danger batter Tahlia McGrath first ball. Her delivery shaped into McGrath’s pads, before straightening off the pitch and clipping the top of middle stump.Strikers never recovered, bowled out for 112, with Ellie Johnston, who was the only batter to find rhythm in her 33 in 21 balls, run out.Devine was at the crease when rain arrived, with Scorchers 55 for 2 in the tenth over.The match was abandoned and a nine-run victory declared for Scorchers.Form batter Beth Mooney was dismissed first ball but opening partner Katie Mack (24 not out in 30 balls) put Scorchers in a winning position, making the most of a missed stumping chance off Sophie Ecclestone earlier in her innings.
